Storage in a computer system typically comprises file systems, although other storage such as databases may be used. File systems are generally implemented using operating systems that format storage containers such as hard disks in accordance with the file systems. File systems allow files to be named and located on a hard disk. The file systems also allow files to span non-contiguous sectors of the hard disk, yet be easily found, copied, modified, and deleted.
Existing widely-deployed file systems may be of different types, such as Window NT File System (NTFS) and UNIX file systems. Such file systems may also run on heterogeneous server platforms. However, today widely-deployed file systems usually do not support quality of service. Further, today's file systems do not support lifecycle management. But, quality of service is becoming more important for file systems, and as quality of service is becoming important, lifecycle management is also becoming important for file systems and other storage. Lifecycle management is already important in other fields and it would be beneficial to provide this management in storage for computer systems, but such management is not easily provided using conventional file systems.
What is needed then are techniques for creating file systems, while providing quality of service and maintaining quality of service during lifecycles of the file systems.